The present invention relates generally to high-pressure hydraulic couplings, comprised of male and female parts, and more particularly to a sliding sleeve seal for use in conjunction with the means for closing and opening the through passage in the coupler when the female and male parts are disengaged.
Numerous designs for fluid couplers have been developed which include male and female coupler parts which when brought together will automatically disengage a valve or check member to unblock a through passage in the coupler parts and allow fluid to flow from its source through the coupling and to its use. In these designs, a resilient bias means, e.g. a spring, provides an axial bias which forces the valve or check member in the fluid through passage back into the closed position to shut off fluid flow through the coupler when the male and female coupling is disengaged.
Examples of designs for fluid couplers where the connection of the male and female coupler parts will automatically move the blocking means or check member from the blocked position to the unblocked position thereby allowing fluids to be moved through the fluid passage include, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,572 to A. Z. Shindelar, U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,575 issued to Kurt Stoll, U.S. Pat. No. 3,348,575 issued to F. J. Simak, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,030 issued to J. Torres.
In designing the support sleeve for the resiliently biased member, often times, a sealing means such as a gasket ring is employed between the spring support means and the inside wall of the coupler to seal off fluid paths which would result in leaks and the loss of fluid. Delays in the check member moving into the closed position can occur when the parts are uncoupled if the resilient gasket ring material which has been forced against the inside wall in sealing relationship, hangs-up or catches against the inside wall. This may occur because, while the coupler is in use, the gasket material being compressed against the inner guide wall may be forced into the imperfections in the wall so the gasket material remains momentarily adhered to the wall and is slow to release from its engagement with the wall surface.